Baby's Meal

The pleasant domestic scene in this early Lumière feature is nicely photographed, and it essentially allows the viewer to share in a peaceful moment with a family from a long-past era. It has fortunately been preserved in excellent condition, so that the detail and composition can be appreciated.

This is one of many very early moving pictures that showed how much more a movie could do than a still photograph. As simple and calm as all of the actions are in this feature, they bring the scene to life, making it feel less like an event from the distant past, and more like a short visit with living beings. Whether by chance or by design, the swaying leaves in the background – which are caught quite clearly – add an extra dose of realism.

As a result of all of these things, the outdoor setting is convincing, and the simple scene is an endearing one that is worth watching.

Repas de bebe (1895)

This early film from Louis Lumiere is pretty simple as a mom and dad are facing the camera with their child sitting between them. They feed the baby. Yep, that's all that happens in this early film but it's a pretty interesting experiment. Of course, this was 1895 so it's silly to try and compare this film to the film's of today. Things were so early at this point that people like Lumiere were just filming whatever they could. If you've got children then this here will obviously appeal to you as it's quite funny to see the baby's reaction to all this food coming its way.

Louis Lumiere's brother, Auguste, and his wife sit at a table, in their garden, feeding their child - who sits between them. Shrubbery in the background rustles indicating a slight breeze. Perhaps the public, in 1896, would see this and wish they could preserve family scenes such as this for their posterity. Now, 107 years later, we can - on film or video. We have come a long way, baby!

A father with his wife at the table feeds his son , who then offers a cookie to his parents while the wind moves the trees. There is a time when children will have to feed their aged parents and already before time this child offers them food!

This film, along with nine other films, was shown at a Paris, mini-film festival, by pioneering filmmakers, the Lumiere brothers, in December of 1895. The seventh film ever shown to a paying audience, ends up being the first sequel too, when August Lumiere brings his kid back out for lunch time with the wife. They are both the main subjects in an earlier Lumiere film, shown about two minutes before this one, Fishing For Goldfish (1895). Watching this during a mini-festival in 1895 probably didn't register as a sequel. But looking back at it 130 years later, it is a prime, early example of a sequel. The baby must have tested well during all the test screenings. This is what is so cool watching films from the pioneering era of film.

7.8 (B- MyGrade) = 8 IMDB.